The terrifying life after graduation

Tens of thousands of students will be graduating between now and December. After graduation, most graduates can be rudderless, unsure of the next move. But here is a quick guide on steps that can help you:

• Don’t move back home or to your relatives. If you must, make sure you make plans to move out as soon as possible. Going back home can make you lazy, and can take any incentive you may need to get a job or a start business.

• Drop your CVs with as many prospective employers as possible. Also identify a few employment bureaus and hand them your CV.

• Be open to the idea of moving out of the country for opportunities.

• Apply for scholarships both locally and internationally. There are dozens of scholarships for the picking including Chevening, DAAD, Commonwealth, CODESRIA, Aga Khan, OFID, Rockefeller, FORD, to mention just but a few.

• Cohabiting can be convenient, economical; and you may be in love. Be careful, however, as you are still young to make terminal decisions like marriage. Once you start living together, a child is an automatic consequence and that is when your eyes open and regrets ensue.

• Don’t compete with your peers. Competition after school is childish. Instead, compete with yourself and be encouraged by their progress to work harder.

• Remember they will be bad days so be ready to batten down your hatches. You will sleep hungry, you will not have rent; but like bad, dark clouds such days have an end. Don’t take to alcoholism and drugs when the going gets tough.

• Keep in touch with all your friends. Don’t fall through the cracks only to appear when you need help.

• Religion despite it not being the coolest thing to some will steer you through whatever storms come your way.